Recovery
by spudicus87
Summary: Angel's recovery after B&B. BTVS Season 3
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. They belong to Joss. Please don't sue.

Author's note: This is written in script form. I hate reading fan fictions in script form but for some reason it's all I can write in. Sorry.

This story takes place after the events of BTVS:S3 "Beauty and the Beasts"

**Recovery**

_Buffy sat and watched Angel sleep through another nightmare. It had been the third one he had that night, and it didn't look like it was ending any time soon. She longed to go over to him and ease his suffering, but she knew that he had to deal with the nightmares by himself. He had recognized her, and that meant that he would get better in time. He had to. His eyes suddenly opened and he searched around wildly with his eyes to find her. She came over to him and grabbed his face with her hands._

Buffy:

"I'm right here, Angel. I didn't go anywhere."

_He calmed down almost immediately._

Buffy:

"You should go back to sleep."

_When they arrived back at the mansion earlier she had tried to convince him to sleep in his bed, but he refused and he asleep on the floor in front of fireplace._

Buffy:

"How 'bout we take you into your bedroom? You'll be more comfortable."

_She hated seeing him lying on the floor. He was a man, not some animal. He looked so cold and hurt lying on the cold stone floor like that._

Angel:

"Buffy."

Buffy:

"That's right. Buffy. Let's go into the bedroom. Come on."

_She grabbed his hands and pulled. Bringing him to a sitting position and finally on his feet. They slowly made their way to the bedroom. The bedroom was remarkably darker than the main living area, and it took time for her eyes to adjust to the new surroundings. She turned and found Angel looking around. She led him to the bed where she sat down. Angel remained standing. He was tense, and looked around the room as if someone or something would jump out and hurt him._

Buffy:

"Its okay, Angel. Nothing will hurt you here. I won't let it. Sit down."

_He looked at her and the bed skeptically._

Buffy:

"It's okay. It's just the bed. You remember, right?"

_Angel still looked around not really trusting her or this new room. He couldn't remember much of anything, except that Buffy equaled good and that he was safe with Buffy._

Angel:

"Buffy."

_She'd been watching him as he looked around the room, and hoped he didn't freak out._

Buffy:

"Yes. Now you should lie down."

_She gently pushed on his side, and he went tumbling down. She got up to put his feet on the bed , but he grabbed onto her arm. Holding onto it like a vise. She looked into his eyes and saw, for the first time, fear. She stroked his face with her hand._

Buffy:

"It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

_She put his feet up on the bed, and covered him up with the sheets and comforter._

Buffy:

"See, isn't that better?"

_He stared back at her, and didn't reply._

Buffy:

"You sleep."

_She started to go over to the chair next to the bed, but again he grabbed onto her._

Buffy:

"Okay, I'll lay down with you, but you have to sleep."

_She laid down next to him._

Buffy:

"You need to sleep."

_She gathered him in her arms and rubbed his back gently easing him into a peaceful sleep._

_Scene: Mansion Bedroom (Morning)_

_When Buffy awoke Angel was not in the bed with her. She looked around the room frantically. He was no where to be found. She walked around the room slowly checking over every place he might be. She knew he wouldn't have left the room without her. She noticed that the closet door was slightly open. She approached it slowly, and when she opened it she found what she was looking for. Angel. Sitting in the corner with his legs pulled to his chest and his head down on his knees, shaking. She approached him carefully so she wouldn't startle him._

Buffy:

"Angel?"

_He didn't even look up._

Buffy:

"Angel, it's Buffy."

_She came and sat down next to him._

Buffy:

"Did you have a bad dream?"

_She put an arm around his shoulders._

Buffy:

"It's okay. I'm here and I won't let anything hurt you."

_He was still shaking, but she noticed that he was crying. In that quiet way that he did. She had seen Angel cry on very few occasions. He was always the strong, stoic one out of the group. It showed her just how badly he was hurt while trapped in Hell._

Buffy:

"It's okay. Shh…it's okay."

_She rocked him back and forth and he slowly stopped went still._

Buffy:

"Let's go back to bed, okay? You have to rest and heal."

_He still wouldn't move from the corner he was occupying. Buffy stood up to get some blankets and pillows for him. She returned and laid the pillows down next to him while she wrapped one of the blankets around his shoulders. _

Buffy:

"You can lie down if you want."

_At least it was better than on the stone floor in the main room. The bedroom and closet were carpeted. She took the rest of the blankets and made a small bed for him to lie down on. Hopefully it would be comfortable. She pushed him to lie down, and soon his head was resting on the pillows. He looked up at her, and she saw the fear in his eyes._

Buffy:

"Its okay, Angel."

_She stroked his hair._

Buffy:

"Sleep."

_He still hadn't lost the fear he had in his eyes._

Buffy:

"Just close your eyes. I'm not going anywhere."

_He blinked at her as if he was trying to understand her._

Buffy:

"You won't get hurt here. Now, close your eyes."

_It took her a good twenty minutes to get him to relax and at least close his eyes, but he finally drifted off to sleep._


	2. Chapter 2

_Scene: The next morning_

_When Buffy woke up she found Angel sitting and waiting for her in the closet. After he had drifted off last night she had left the door to the closet open so she could watch him and slept on the bed._

Buffy:

You should be sleeping.

_He had barely slept at all last night, and refused to go back to sleep. _

Buffy:

So, what do you want to do today?

_He stared back at her and tilted his head slightly trying to understand her. After a few seconds he looked back down at the floor._

Buffy:

It's okay, you don't have to say anything. Lets get you something to eat. You must be starving.

_He looked up at the suggestion of feeding._

Buffy:

Come on.

_She took his hand in hers and led him to the kitchen. She had pulled all the curtains closed last night when they returned from the school. She sat him down on one of the stools in the kitchen, and went to the frig to get his breakfast. She took out one of the packets of blood and turned to find Angel staring aimlessly around the room. She poured the blood into a mug and heated it up in the microwave. She brought the mug over to the island where he was sitting and placed it in front of him. He had been looking around the room like he had done with the bedroom last night, but at the smell of blood he had focused on Buffy and the blood she had sat in front of him._

Angel:

Buffy?

Buffy:

You can eat.

_She pushed the mug forward._

Buffy:

It's warm. I hope it's enough.

_He looked down at the mug then back up at her, confused. It was as if he couldn't believe she was giving him food._

Buffy:

It's food. Aren't you hungry?

Angel:

Food.

_Surprised he had said a word that wasn't here name she ran at him and hugged him._

Buffy:

That's right.

_He had tensed the the moment her arms went around him._

Buffy:

I'm sorry.

_She released him._

Buffy:

I didn't mean to scare you. Are you hungry?

Angel:

Hungry.

Buffy:

Good. Here yea go.

_She handed him the mug. She waited until he was finished to ask her next question._

Buffy:

Do you remember what that is? What you eat?

_He looked at her, then back at the empty mug. He sat there silently for a few moments, then looked back up at her. He handed the mug back to her._

Buffy:

Do you want more? Are you still hungry?

_He stared back at her in confusion._

Buffy:

It's okay, you can have more if you want.

_He suddenly turned on his stool and got up and left the kitchen. Buffy set the empty mug on the table and quickly followed him out of the room. He had made it to the living room and was pacing in front of the fireplace. She came over to him and grabbed his shoulders to stop him from pacing. She looked into his eyes._

Buffy:

What's the matter?

Angel:

Light.

Buffy:

Yeah, its daytime. You should be asleep. Let's go back to bed, okay?

Angel:

Bed?

Buffy;

Yeah. Come on, I'll lay down with you.

Angel:

No. Stay.

_Buffy looked at him disapprovingly._

Buffy:

You have to rest to get better.

Angel:

No.

Buffy:

We'll stay out here, but you have to take it easy. Do you understand? You have to keep your strength up.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hours Later_

_Buffy stayed with him the whole day, seeing as how it was a Saturday, and she didn't have anywhere to be. As hard as she tried she couldn't get him to sit down, let alone sleep. He had been pacing in front of the fireplace for hours. It's a wonder he hadn't worn a track into the floor. It was then that she heard the door open, and she jumped up. Startling Angel in the process. She tuned to find Willow standing in front of the closed door staring at them. _

Buffy:

Will, hi!

_Buffy tried to sound cheerful._

Willow:

We've been looking for you. Your mom was worried when you weren't in your room this morning. How is he here?

_She pointed to Angel, who had retreated and was hiding behind Buffy._

Buffy:

I don't know. When I was looking for whoever was killing those people I ran into him.

Willow:

Is he…you know?

Buffy:

I don't think so. He hasn't tried to hurt me, at least not for a while.

Willow:

Is he afraid of me?

Buffy:

He's afraid of everything.

_Buffy could feel the tension coming off him in waves. She knew he was uncomfortable, and he probably didn't even remember Willow._

Willow:

Is he alright?

_Buffy grabbed his hand, and brought him, rather reluctantly on his part, to stand beside her._

Buffy:

He's fine, physically at least. He just has a few cuts and bruises.

_She looked up into his eyes._

Buffy:

You remember Willow, don't you?

_He looked from her face, to Willow, then to the floor._

Buffy:

He hasn't been very talkative lately.

Willow:

As opposed to his regular talkative self?

_She joked and the mood lightened a bit._

Willow:

Do you need help with him? The others could…

Buffy:

No. I mean, I don't think the others will be too happy about him being back. I think it might be too much for him right now.

Willow:

Has he slept?

_Buffy shook her head._

Buffy:

Not really. He keeps having nightmares. He refuses to sleep.

Willow:

Maybe I could help.

_She stepped forward, and Angel stepped back. Buffy's hand being the only thing that kept him from retreating any further._

Buffy:

She's not going to hurt you, Angel.

Willow:

That's right, Angel. I'm your friend.

_She held her hands out at her sides, showing that she didn't have anything in her hands. Angel kept looking from Buffy to Willow. Buffy smiled at him encouragingly. She knew he was scared He was trembling slightly, and she knew that she was the only thing keeping him here. She knew that he would leave if she hadn't been holding his hand. Willow made her way slowly over to Buffy's side. Angel stayed as still as he could. He was trembling with fear and shifted from foot to foot. Willow finally made it over to Buffy's side, but Angel was staring at the floor._

Willow:

Hi, Angel.

_He nodded his head in some semblance of recognition._

Willow:

Do you remember me?

_He raised his head slightly, and stared at her beneath his eyelids. He seemed to be trying to concentrate on her. He was still trembling, but he seemed to be really concentrating on her._

Angel:

Willow.

Willow:

That's right. I'm your friend, and I want to help you.

Angel:

Help.

_Willow nodded._

Buffy:

Will you let her do that?

_He stared at both of them, trying to understand what was going on. He really didn't understand what they were saying. He thought he remembered the girl standing next to Buffy, but he wasn't sure. He looked at Buffy, and she smiled. All that he could remember was Buffy, and he trusted Buffy._

Angel:

Yes.

Buffy:

You'll let Willow help?

Angel:

Yes.

Buffy:

Why don't we sit down?

_Willow moved over and sat down on the couch. Buffy brought Angel over with her and sat him between Willow and herself. He seemed to calm down slightly._

Buffy:

Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you something to eat?

_He nodded._

Buffy:

Will you be okay if Willow stays with you?

_He nodded, and she left to get him a glass of blood. She'd have to go out later to get more, but for now it could wait. She was relieved that she had someone to talk to about this. Out in the other room, Willow sat quietly with Angel. He hadn't moved, and she could tell he was tense, and still afraid. She gently put her arm around his shoulders._

Willow:

It's okay, Angel. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you, like Buffy.

_She rubbed his back._

Willow:

Calm down, nobody wants to hurt you here.

_After her summer with Oz she was experienced with soothing a beast. Buffy came back in with the mug to find the two of them like that. Willow whispering words of encouragement and rubbing his back. She silently came over to the couch._

Buffy:

How's he doing?

Willow:

We're doing just fine. Aren't we Angel?

_He nodded._

Buffy:

Here Angel.

_She handed him the mug and he drank it slowly. When it was empty he handed it back to Buffy, while keeping his eyes on the ground. He blinked tiredly and stood back up. Set on pacing in front of the fireplace again. Buffy grabbed his arm._

Buffy:

Why don't you sit down for a little while? You've been pacing all day. Aren't you tired?

_He shook his head. Willow listened to the conversation, and could see that both were exhausted._

Willow:

Why don't we go for a walk?

Buffy:

Willow…

Willow:

It's alright. You're exhausted. We can go for a walk while you walk.

_She stood and whispered in Buffy's ear._

Willow:

I'll get him to go to sleep.

_Willow took Angel's hand._

Willow:

Come on, Angel. Lets go for a walk.


	4. Chapter 4

_As Willow and Angel left to go for their walk, Buffy lay down on the couch and was soon asleep. Willow and Angel walked around the large mansion. They walked slowly and at times Angel would stop completely. He would refuse to go down certain hallways, or in certain rooms._

Willow:

I'm glad you're back. I'm sorry I gave you your soul back. If I wouldn't have you wouldn't have gone to hell. I'm sorry.

Angel:

Sorry.

Willow:

Yes, I'm sorry. Do you understand?

_He didn't answer._

Willow:

It's okay if you don't. It's a pretty big question. Maybe we should start smaller. Do you remember me? I mean really?

Angel:

Willow.

Willow:

What's my last name? Where do I live? Do you remember anything like that?

_He shook his head._

Willow:

What about other people? Like Xander?

Angel:

Dead boy.

Willow:

Yeah, that's Xander. Do you remember anything else about him?

Angel:

Hates…me.

Willow:

Do you remember Giles?

Angel:

Watcher. Hates.

Willow:

What about Buffy?

Angel:

Buffy. Light. Good.

_He yawned._

Willow:

Are you tired?

_He nodded._

Willow:

Maybe you should take a nap.

Angel:

No.

_Their walk had led them to his bedroom._

Willow:

Okay. Why don't you sit down? You don't have to sleep.

_Willow saw the book lying on the nightstand._

Willow:

Why don't you sit on the bed? I'll read to you.

_He slowly made his way over to the bed and sat down on the edge._

Willow:

Do you remember what this is?

Angel:

Book.

Willow:

What are you sitting on?

Angel:

Bed.

_He stared at the curtain covered window._

Willow:

What's wrong Angel?

Angel:

Light.

_Willow thought for a moment then looked at the window. It was true; light was peeking out from the edges of the curtains. She hadn't realized how long they'd been up. Buffy must have been asleep for hours, and Angel still awake. She got up from her seat and sat next to Angel on the bed._

Willow:

Can you read this?

_She opened the book to the first page. Angel stared at the edge page for several minutes then returned his gaze to Willow, and shook his head._

Willow:

Can you read any of the words?

_He shook his head._

Willow:

Would you like me to read to you?

_He nodded. _

Willow:

Why don't you lay back against the pillows? You'll feel better.

_He leaned back against the pillows and she started to read, by the time he finished the first chapter he was asleep. She set the book down on the nightstand and covered him up. She went out into the living room where she found Buffy still asleep. She went to the kitchen and found that there was very little blood left, and knew that either she or Buffy was going to have to go out and get more. She found a phone and decided to call Giles just so he would stop worrying about Buffy._

Giles:

Hello.

Willow:

Giles, it's me. I found Buffy. She's fine.

Giles:

Where did you find her?

Willow:

In the cemetery. She just got done fighting off a bunch of vampires.

Giles:

Where are you?

Willow:

At the mansion. Buffy was tired and the mansion was closer so we just came here.

Giles:

Can I talk to Buffy?

Willow:

She's sleeping right now.

Giles:

Maybe I should come over there.

Willow:  
No…no its okay. She's fine, just tired that's all. I think she needed a break from everything. It just seemed like a good idea to come here. Nobody comes up here.

Giles:

It reminds her of Angel.

Willow:

Yeah I guess. Listen I'll have her call you when she wakes up, Okay?

Giles:

Okay.

Willow:

Bye.

_Willow hung up the phone. She went and checked on Angel who was sleeping peacefully. She hoped it would last at least long enough for him to get some rest._

Buffy:

Is he asleep?

_Willow almost jumped out of her skin._

Willow:

Buffy.

Buffy:

Well?

_Willow moved aside._

Buffy:

Thank god. I thought he's never fall asleep.

Willow:

I called Giles. I told him you'd call when you woke up.

_At Buffy's gaze she added._

Willow:

Don't worry I didn't tell him anything. I told him I found you in the cemetery and you were tired so we just spent the night here.

Buffy:

Okay, I guess I'll go call him. Do you think you can handle him for a while longer?

Willow:

Yeah he's fine.

_Buffy left to call Giles._

Buffy:

Hi, Giles it's me.

Giles:

Are you all right?

Buffy:

I'm fine. Just tired that's all.

Giles:

Your mother was very worried about you.

Buffy:

I'm sorry. I just had a ruff night.

_While Buffy was talking to Giles, Angel began to have a nightmare._

Angel:

No…not me. No.

_He started to toss and turn. Willow came over and grabbed his shoulders._

Willow:

Angel, you're having a nightmare. Wake up.

_He continued to toss a little, but he soon quieted down. His eyes opened and he stared at Willow._

Angel:

Buffy.

Willow:

She's in the other room. Do you want me to get her?

_He shook his head._

Angel:

Willow.

Willow:

Yes.

Angel:

Hungry.

Willow:

Okay, I'll get you something in a minute. Do you want to sit up?

_He nodded. She helped him into a sitting position. Propping him up with pillows._

Willow:

What were you dreaming about? Do you remember?

Angel:

Hell.

Willow:

Do you remember what happened before that?

_He shook his head._

Willow:

That's okay.

_Buffy entered the room._

Willow:

I'll go get you something to eat.

_Willow stood up and left._

Buffy:

Did you have a nightmare?

_He nodded._

Angel:

Hungry.

_Willow walked back in with a glass._

Willow:

Here Angel.

_She handed him the glass. He brought the glass up to his mouth, but he brought it back down immediately. Looking away from Willow and Buffy. They got the hint and went out into the hallway._

Buffy:

Well he never used to eat in front of me. I guess this is a good sign.

_When they decided to go back in to check on him they found him sitting on the edge of the bed with the book Willow had started to read to him last night. They found the glass sitting on the nightstand, empty. He looked up from the book when they approached the bed. He closed the book and gave it to Willow._

Willow:

Thank you, Angel.

Buffy:

How are you feeling?

Angel:

Better.

Buffy:

That's great. What do you want to do today?

Angel:

Book.

_Angel pointed to the book Willow had in her hands._

Willow:

That sounds like a great idea.

TBC

Hope you like this chapter. I'm sort of stuck on where to go next with it, but hopefully I'll figure something out. Please read and review and tell me what you think of it so far.


	5. Chapter 5

One week later

_Angel has been recovering slowly with the help of Buffy and Willow._

The Mansion: Late Afternoon

_Angel is sitting on the couch looking at a book when Willow comes in._

"Hi Angel." She greets as she comes further into the room. He looks up at her and smiles slightly.

"Hello." He responds. "Where's Buffy?"

"She had to stay after with Giles so it's just me today." She tells him.

"Ok." Angel says.

"How are you doing with the book?" Willow asks as she points to the book lying on the coffee table.

"Slow." Angel responds. "It's been awhile since I've read anything."

"So you understand what you've read so far?" Willow asks as she comes to sit by him on the couch.

"Some of it. It's hard to remember what some of the words mean." Angel replies.

"That's ok. It will come back in time." Willow assures him. "So what else did you do today?"

"Nothing really. I tried to sleep but…" he trails off.

"Yeah. I think we may have found a solution to that little problem." Willow reports.

"We?" Angel asks.

"Yeah, Buffy and I. I did some snooping around while Buffy kept Giles busy." She says.

"So, nobody else knows that I'm back?" Angel asks.

"No, not yet. Buffy and I think that it would be better to wait until you're better." Willow responds.

"But, I am better." Angel tells her.

"You're getting better. Still, Buffy and I don't think the others are ready to know that you are back yet." Willow tells him.

"I guess you guys are right. The stuff that I put you guys through…" Angel says more to himself than to Willow.

"Ok, enough with this line of thinking. I brought you a present." Willow exclaims. She goes to her backpack and pulls out a huge sketch pad and an assortment of drawing utensils. She turns back to him and holds them out to him. "I thought that you'd like these. I didn't see any the last time that I was here and Buffy told me that you like to draw so I thought that you'd need some more." Willow babbles.

"Thank you, Willow." Angel told her. "I'm sure I'll use them." He assures Willow as he heads towards his room. He sets the supplies on his desk and comes back out to Willow who is sitting on the couch. "So… How's school?" Angel asks.

"Good. Homecoming is coming up and Oz is going to take me. I've got the perfect dress." Willow tells him.

"That's good. What about Buffy?" Angel asks.

"Uh…well I think Buffy wants to tell you about that." Willow says.

"Ok. So when is Buffy…" Angel starts to ask when the door opens.

"Hi." Buffy says as she walks in the door and closes it behind her. "I got away from Giles sooner than I expected. I got the stuff you asked for." She tells Willow.

"What stuff?" Angel asks.

"Oh. You know how I told you that we figured out you're sleeping problem?" Willow asks. Angel nods. "Well Buffy got the stuff we need to do that." Willow stands and goes to her backpack to pull out a thick book.

"So are you going to explain this to me before you do it?" Angel asks.

"It's a sleeping spell. It should put you in a restful sleep and it should prevent the nightmares from occurring." Willow explains.

"Should?" Angel asks.

"Will." Buffy answers.

"Ok. So when are we going to do this?" Angel asks.

"Well, there's no time like the present." Willow says.

TBC

A/N: Sorry for such the long wait. I just started back to college and it's been hectic and the writer's block doesn't help. Please read and review and thanks to all who have. Reviews really help me. I hope the next chapter will come easier and will be longer.


	6. Authors Note

AN: I know it has been a while since I have updated any of my stories, but I do plan on continuing all of my stories but I do plan on continuing all of my stories. You probably won't see an update till after the 4th of July holiday because of the college classes I am taking now, but there will be an update to some, if not all, my stories sometime in July. Thanks for reading and keep reviewing. Your reviews and thoughts keep me going when I hit the wall.

spudicus87


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